Death Note

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Dmytro T How could you ruin such an incredible story with that much money and talent at your disposal? I first encountered Death Note through the 2006 Japanese film adaptation. While I didn’t know anything about the universe beforehand, I was captivated by its portrayal of L and Light—characters who were brilliant, emotionally restrained, and far beyond the average person’s way of thinking. Their charisma and calculated moves made them fascinating and unpredictable. The Japanese version also stood out with its unique, fitting soundtrack that enhanced the experience. Even though I later learned the Japanese movie diverged from the original manga’s plot, I found it no less compelling. In fact, I personally found the manga’s storyline harder to follow, whereas the movie adaptation managed to distill its essence into something gripping. It proved that stepping away from the source material can sometimes elevate a story. So, when I heard about an American adaptation with a stellar cast—Nat Wolff, LaKeith Stanfield, Margaret Qualley, Willem Dafoe, Jason Liles—I was beyond excited. The Japanese film, while great, did feel low-budget compared to Hollywood standards. This was a chance for Death Note to become the masterpiece it deserved to be. But what did we get instead? Despite having every advantage—money, a talented cast, and one of the greatest stories ever written—the producers delivered something that was not just worse than the “cheap” Japanese version, but far worse than even the “boring” original manga. Their attempts to “Westernize” and “adapt” the story didn’t add anything meaningful; instead, they stripped away what made it exceptional. L and Light were reduced to caricatures of their former selves, lacking the brilliance and emotional detachment that made their battle of wits so compelling. The storytelling choices felt rushed and incoherent, leaving the movie devoid of the tension, depth, and unpredictability that defined the original. This was more than just a bad adaptation—it was a squandered opportunity. With all the resources they had, the American producers had the chance to create a timeless classic but instead delivered one of the most disappointing movies in cinematic history. A story this extraordinary deserved better. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/11/25 Full Review Alexis J As a non-purist emo sympathisers with no prior interest in the Death Note graphic novel saga yet with a conditioned interest in the mystical & ephemeral storytelling of sci-fi teen horror, I liked it. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/04/25 Full Review Kayla E worst fucking movie I've ever seen. Literal garbage movie and is an embarrassment to man kind. THIS MOVIE is NOTHING like death note, please DON'T waste a single second on it. Terrible script, terrible acting, terrible EVERYTHING Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 12/05/24 Full Review David W Gets a bad rap. I liked it but I have never seen the original. Just a bunch of fan boys that can't understand you can't put years of content in a 2 hr movie. Give it a try if you know nothing about the Manga it came from. it will more than pass the time. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/04/24 Full Review Fake N Death note live action takes what we know from the Manga and anime and messes it all up. It makes it's own rules then breaks them and it just ignores the rules of the death note. When I finished this film all I could think was thank god it's only an hour and 41 minutes. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/19/24 Full Review Da Hippy S The story is a robbery of the original anime and manga. I didn't even have to watch it properly to know that they half assed half the characters. What did they do to misa 😭 Light is a wimp. The actor that played L was decent, looks like he did some research into what the character of L was meant to be like. Ryuk was well animated but lacks in character design. Genuinely disappointed. Made an account just to post a review it made me that angry. I won't even get started about how much was missed out or changed but the ending made me want to jump off a bridge. Have a nice day and don't waste your time. 😁👋 Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/11/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Death Note

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